The first quarter has ended.
21:19!!
Neither team scored much, and the Nets held only a two-point lead.
......
Scott looked at the technical statistics table with a serious expression.
The Nets appear to be leading, but 15 of those 21 points came from Wei Guo. For Wei Guo, scoring 15 points in a quarter is a simple matter, but 7 of those 15 points came from free throws. The Pistons' defense was intense and they committed many fouls.
and...
Wei Guo made only 3 of 11 shots in the first quarter, a shooting percentage of less than 30%!
Scott had never seen Wei Guo's shooting percentage so low before. The Pistons' defense was one factor, but another reason was that Wei Guo wasn't shooting well tonight; he missed shots that he usually made.
This is perfectly normal!
No star player can guarantee a perfect shooting touch every game. Even players like Jordan and Kobe had games where their shooting percentage was below 30%. Moreover, this was only the shooting percentage in the first quarter. With Wei Guo's ability, he will adjust his form after the second quarter.
The Eastern Conference Finals are not a single-elimination series; losing one game occasionally doesn't affect the overall outcome!
I don't know what happened...
Gentry had a feeling that the game might be lost, so before the start of the second quarter, he didn't let Wei Guo play. Instead, he followed the normal tactics and let the main players rest for a few minutes.
......
The substitutes were working hard on the field, with Gentry sitting next to Weiguo.
"Brother Wei, you need to increase your inside offense!"
Gentry tentatively asked, "What do you think?"
Wei Guo's shooting touch wasn't great tonight, but his inside game is top-notch in the league. He's dominated all the big men in the league, and increasing his inside scoring opportunities can improve his shooting percentage. Even if he misses a shot, he'll likely draw a foul.
Rashid has already committed two fouls!
If Rasheed commits more than three fouls in the first half, the Pistons will become passive.
"I will destroy the Pistons' interior defense!"
Wei Guo's voice wasn't loud, but it was deafening, drawing Scott's attention... That's the confidence of the league's number one player.
The Nets' bench was inferior to the Pistons', but Prince and Okur were both very strong offensive players, and the two quickly widened the score gap with their outside shooting.
Wei Guo got up and walked towards the technical table...
Brown muttered, "These next eight minutes will be tough. I know Wei Guo all too well."
Is a storm brewing for the Pistons?
23:29!!
In the few minutes that Wei Guo was absent, the Nets only scored two points.
After entering the game, Wei Guo positioned himself under the basket and reached out for the ball... Billups' close defense made Tyronn Lue very uncomfortable, but Tyronn Lue has a high basketball IQ. He did not pass the ball to Wei Guo. After gathering the ball, he first made a shooting fake, and then made a behind-the-back pass, and the basketball was in Hill's hands.
Hill lobs the ball to Wei Guo in the paint!
Rashid roared, "Weiguo, you won't score a point!"
Wei Guo received the ball, pushed past Rashid to the basket, grabbed the basketball with one hand, jumped up, and slammed it home over Rashid!
"Beep!!!"
The referee's whistle blew.
Rasheed's defensive actions, involving pulling and tugging, were unacceptable to the referees, even though it wasn't the Nets' home court.
Wei Guo stepped up to the free-throw line to prepare for his free throw.
Rashid's defensive move was too aggressive; he was trying to provoke Wei Guo. If it were any other player, and they were to dunk over him under such defense, they would definitely yell at the defender!
But...
Rashid saw Wei Guo standing with his hands on his hips at the free-throw line, practically wearing the words "I don't care" on his face.
This action deeply affected Rashid.
That year, he stood with his hands on his hips, oblivious to what an opponent was... That was the mentality of Wei Guo.
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball swished through the net, and Wei Guo scored another point with a free throw.
26:29!!
The Pistons' 6-point lead was instantly reduced to just 3 points.
Pistons on offense!
They played with great patience until Hamilton had a shooting opportunity beyond the three-point line before he took the shot!
"Whoosh!!!"
The basketball went into the net.
26:32!!
The audience clenched their fists, watching the game with bated breath, as the Pistons' tactical execution was superior to that of the Nets.
The Nets seem to have exposed a long-standing problem: over-reliance on Wei Guo. When Wei Guo is having a bad day, other Nets players are also affected. This is called the influence effect or demonstration effect, which means that a person can influence those around them through their own behavior.
only...
Wei Guo set a negative example this time.
......
"Double-team! Double-team! Double-team!"
When Wei Guo got the ball again, Brown shouted, "Three men go and double-team Wei Guo, don't give him a chance to shoot!"
then...
Ben, Rashid, and Anthony formed a circle, with Wei Guo sandwiched in the middle!
Last season, this kind of double-teaming under the basket would not have been allowed, but the league changed some zone defense rules last summer. When double-teamed by these three, Wei Guo didn't even have room to dribble or shoot.
As soon as the basketball hits the ground...
This was bound to be a mistake, but fortunately, Wei Guo's height and wingspan were there, and he passed the ball out, which Jefferson caught and shot!
"bang~~~"
The basketball bounced off the rim!
Mourning and Ben Wallace went for the rebound together but failed... Ben Wallace grabbed the defensive rebound.
Hamilton had already sprinted up the court, creating an excellent opportunity for a fast break. However, Ben Wallace didn't pass the ball. Instead, he waited for Billups to come and receive the ball, then dribbled up the court and patiently organized the attack.
......
In the Huaxia live broadcast room, Lao Yang and Lao Xu are commentating on the match.
Old Yang said, "The Pistons are too steady; this style of play can avoid mistakes."
Old Xu said, "The Nets score the most points off opponent turnovers in the league. If you have too many turnovers when playing against the Nets, it will be very difficult to win."
Old Yang said, "I've noticed something very interesting. In Nets games, whenever they keep their opponents under 100 points while the Nets score over 100, the Nets win all of those games."
Old Xu, “…”
......
The passionate playing style of Ben Wallace and Rasheed has also influenced some of the Nets' young players.
For example, Jefferson...
He had another physical collision with Rasheed in a game against the Pistons. Rasheed was unharmed, but Jefferson was sidelined for two weeks.
Wei Guo was getting anxious.
The Pistons double-teamed him relentlessly. If Wei Guo passed the ball out, Hamilton was like an inexhaustible cockroach, able to quickly help defend the ball handler. It has to be said... Brown's defensive system is quite effective.
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